High Brother Peter
by Nikkster
Summary: Peter watches, Lucy watches, Susan watches, and Edmund watches themselves grow apart and then grow together. Sequel to follow soon.
1. Prolouge to Betrayal

Peter watched as Susan struggled with the boys at school, the clumsiness of first love and crushes in the air that she walked in. To be sure, Lucy noticed it in him, too, but he didn't.

Peter watched as Edmund struggled with his schoolwork, watched as he fidgeted during the designated homework hour, watched as his friends changed. Lucy saw it too, but Edmund never knew that she did, but Edmund knew that Peter watched. Lucy watched as the seeds of Edmund's betrayal to the White Witch were planted as her brothers shouted at each other.

Peter watched Lucy as she grew silently, sketches, poems, and paintings collecting on her side of the girls' room. Susan saw it too, and reveled in it.

Peter watched as Susan became bossy, as all girls that age did. Peter watched her struggle with puberty, as he struggled with it himself.

Peter watched helplessly as Edmund grew away from him, starting with a fight over Peter watching Edmund as he struggled with his homework. Lucy watched her sibling's faces as Susan jumped into the fray, trying to be peacemaker. Lucy saw how her siblings each started to go their own way as she sketched her siblings happy.

Peter watched Lucy become quieter, knowing that she, like Edmund, was teased at school. Peter watched his little sister grow up, but without acting on it, too immersed in his own problems.

Lucy watched, and put her thoughts in many poems and sketches that gave her side of the room a rather sad air.

Susan saw the wistfulness in Lucy's work, saw how her siblings had changed, but again, didn't act on it, of course being too immersed in the never-ending struggle to become popular.

Edmund saw his siblings with resentment, now, for pitying him, when all they had done was love him.


	2. Bedside Watching

Peter watched his sister sleep. Her crown was on the pillow on the small table beside her bed. Her body was curled up under the blanket. Her somewhat long brown hair was splayed on the pillow and on the top of the blanket. Her pale brown eyes were closed. Peter silently slipped out of the room and took his crown off, leaning against the hall wall.

It had been a long day. The coronation, the banquet, and the adjoining revelry took a heavy toll on the young king. To be sure, his siblings were also taxed out, but only Susan really realized the seriousness of the situation. And they still weren't quite close enough to discuss that. And Peter was the High King. He shouldn't appear weak, even to his younger sister.

High King Peter the Magnificent never appeared weak. He was strong. Never-failing. A mountian.

And he had it bad.

Well, he didn't have it bad like Edmund, who was still coping with his ordeal with the White Witch. But Edmund wasn't the oldest, Edmund wasn't the one that Mother had said to before she left, "Take care of the others." That was Peter. Peter was the strong one, the responsible one, the oldest one...

And he didn't want to be. At that moment, he just wanted to sleep.

But Aslan knows why he couldn't.

He had to check on the others multiple times to make sure they were safe. You never could be too sure.

Especially Edmund and Lucy. They were the tender ones, the ones who needed to be protected. He would probably gather Ed and Lu into his arms (his strong arms, his never-failing arms...) after a battle. Susan would hug them all. Or try to.

Susan had changed a lot during the whole adventure. They all had.


	3. Reflections of a Gentle Queen

Susan let out her breath once Peter left. Peter checking on her! The nerve! She had better tell him in the morning what she thought of it, tell him that even if he was High King, he had no right to visit her room in the middle of the night...

No. She wouldn't. Her being like that was what had brought Edmund to betray them, what had driven them all apart.

She had to stop.

Queen Susan the Gentle had to be, well, gentle. She couldn't be crrude, be mean, even if it was for their own good. Which most of the time it wasn't. No more bossy Susan. Susan could chide. Not criticize.

She had to help Peter the best she could. He had it the worst, just as much as Edmund, but in a different way. He had all of the responsibility, all of the, well, care of his younger siblings dumped on his shoulders when he was only thirteen. She, aged twelve, had to help him, take care of _him,_ the way he took care of her silently.

Why did she only notice it now? If she was a good sister she should have noticed it a long time ago...once Edmund disappeared...no, once they left mother...

Why hadn't she noticed it?

Because she hadn't been a good sister. Until now.

She would go find Peter, who was probably in Edmund's room, checking on him. She would apologize and promise to be a better sister. That was what she would do.

She had to.

She was Queen Susan the Gentle.


	4. Mum?

Edmund's hair was dark against the cream silk pillow, which contrasted with the padded green blanket. His own face was so pale, he looked so sickly...

Stop. He's going to be fine. He'll live, he's not sick, he'll live, Peter, he's okay, he'll be alright, he's fine, stop worrying, Peter, stop worrying!

Why couldn't he stop worrying?

Now he knew somewhat what Mom felt, every time she saw her child look hurt, or saw her child hurt. She couldn't help but worry, especially in the dangerous England that they had been in.

_Mother. _WAS SHE OKAY?? Was she safe? Was she even iving??

Stop worrying, Peter, she's a big girl, she can take care of herself.

But he couldn't help but worry.

About Su, Ed, Lu, Mum, or even Dad, he couldn't stop worrying. It had become a habit, once Edmund had made his betrayal known.

Was it only a habit?

Peter gripped the arms of his chair tightly, feeling like he needed to vomit.

A pair of soft lips kissed the top of his head, like Mum used to do.

His nausea disappeared in an instant.

"Mum?" he croaked, realizing how awful his voice sounded.

The lips kissed his head again, and two tears fell onto his head.

The lips pulled away from his head, only so the person to whom they belonged could walk around him so they could face him.

And there stood...

...Susan.

His younger sister by a year had tear tracks on her cheeks.

Her bright blue eyes were wet, and full of emotion.

Peter reached out blindly to wipe a tear off of her cheek, and she caught his hand and held it as he stroked her wet cheek. More tears cascaded silently down her face, wetting his hand and her other cheek, until she was full-blown crying on Peter's shoulder, with him stroking her hair like Mum used to when Su got upset. No words were spoken for a while, even though Peter's body itched to get up and check on Lucy, he stayed.

Lu could wait a minute.

Here was his sister, crying her heart out on his shoulder.

Lucy could wait.


	5. Apologies

"Peter?"

"Yes, Su?"

"I- I'm sorry for being such a pain," the words came out in a jumble, a quickly said sentence.

Peter kissed his sister on the top of her head.

"You never were, Su."

"Peter, I haven't been a good sister. You and the others probably hate me."

"The others don't hate you. Lucy adores you, but Edmund, well, Ed is just recovering. Give him some time. As for me, I sort of know how you feel."

Susan looked up at him, looked at his dark brown eyes, full of sincerity.

"Y- you do?"

Peter rolled his eyes.

"Duh, I do! Listen, Su, you were bossy, mean, and generally a pain because that was how you dealt with it. That was how you dealt with Dad being gone, Mom falling apart, and the rest of it."

Susan hiccuped as she smiled through her tears.

"A, High Kings of Narnia shouldn't use language such as duh," here Peter swatted her, "and B, you forgot the bombs and the war in general."

Peter smiled. "That fell under the category of the rest of it."

Susan swatted her brother and then hugged him. After a warm hug full of siblingly love, they broke apart, with Susan's tears partially dried, and Peter with wet eyes.

"And Su?"

"Yeah?"

"It's okay to be a kid once in a while. You don't have to take on responsibility you don't need to."

Susan looked up at her brother, her brother like a mountian, and said, "At your expense? No thanks, Peter. I love you, but not that much."


	6. Not So Silent Suffering

Peter broke into a sweat. His silent suffering must not be so silent anymore. It was hard to keep up a demeanor that didn't emanate his turmoiled emotions. "Wha- What do you mean, Su?"

His voice cracked when he used her nickname of old, the one he had given to her the afternoon of the day that he punched Billy Watkins for making her cry. He remembered how she had asked, "Peter, I thought you liked seeing me cry."

And he remembered how he looked at her and responded, "I do. But Su, only I'm allowed to make you cry."

And he remembered how she looked at him before he ran away from her.

He had almost forgotten that day.

It was before the war. Of course he had.

"If I'm a kid, that's one more person on your hands. One more life to save, one more soul to nurture. I never really realized how awful I was, criticizing you and the others for everything you did. I've resolved to be more gentle, just like Aslan said I was."

During her monologue Peter gathered her up in his arms again and held her close to him, so he could feel her heart beat through their clothes and skin. It made Peter feel that the skin and the clothing shouldn't be there, that it was extra, that all he should feel is her heart throbbing against his. In time with his.

Perfectly in time.

Susan pulled away from him and looked into his brown eyes again. "I do need to take on this responsibility, Peter. You can't do it all, however much you think you can, you can't. None of us really realized how hard it is for Mum!"

Anger and resentment flared up inside of Peter, and he almost struck his sister. He yelled, "It would've been helpful if you could've come to these conclusions earlier, Miss Pevensie! It isn't all that easy, taking care of your younger siblings, when you're only a kid yourself!"

Susan's eyes overflowed with tears again, but Peter didn't care. Why couldn't he be the child once in a while?

"Peter, don't yell at me," she chided, "And that was what I was trying to say to you. I was trying to say that I knew it was hard for you, and that I want to help you so you won't be so, well, tense anymore. I'm sorry if I said it in an offending way."

Peter realized that, and hung his head in shame. Susan put her gentle hands on the back of his neck and pulled his head over so his forehead was resting on her shoulder. She stroked his hair, and rubbed his back, even as he rubbed hers as he kept her steady on his lap.

They both could be children.

And the other would be the adult, would be the caring one.

He no longer had to suffer alone.

A/N: There will be Lucy in the next chapter, I promise! I've been putting her off forever. I'm sorry, all you Lucy fans. But could you say in a reveiw how I should do the whole Queen Lucy the Valiant thing like I did for Peter and Susan? I can't think of one! (Which is one of the reasons why she isn't in the story yet)


	7. The Valiant Queen

Lucy watched the waves crash against the coast from the balcony adjoining to her and Susan's room. She pointed out to herself the two Narnian stars Mr. Tumnus had shown her earlier that night. Ramandu and Coriken shone close to Cair Paravel, even though they really were far away, more towards the end of the world.

At least, that was what Mr. Tumnus' friend Mr. Nuttle had said. She wasn't quite sure she believed him. She also wasn't sure that she beileived that stars could retire, and come to rest on an island until their age was restored by a bird carrying a fire-berry to them each night.

Fauns could come up with the most outrageous nonsense ever. (A/N: Nonsense? We shall see, Miss Pevensie, we shall see)

But it was nothing compared to Peter these days.

He was just so, well, responsible.

But it scarred him.

He hadn't offered her a piggyback ride in at least two years.

Was that because she was growing to old for that?

_Aslan, I hope not. _

Peter had been changed, just as much as Su or Ed.

She worried about Ed sometimes.

She had to stop that.

They were safe now, she no longer had to do that.

Other people would do that.

She could be valiant, instead of shaky.

She would be firm, and full of valor.

She would be Queen Lucy the Valiant


	8. Homesickness

Lucy burst into tears.

Narnia was her country now.

Mum was gone.

Dad was gone.

She was homesick.

Suddenly, the image of Peter screaming for Edmund in the harsh winter storm outside of the Beaver's dam flew into her head. She could also hear Susan's voice in the background of Peter's.

The tears came faster now, soaking the collar of her white silk nightgown.

The nightwear was comfortable beyond beleif, like all Narnian clothes, but she longed for her plaid flannel nightgown.

She missed the way the plaid clashed with her hair.

And her bright blue eyes.

As if she was sleepwalking, she made her way to Peter's room.

The bedclothes weren't even mussed.

No wonder.

He couldn't sleep.

He might be in Susan's room.

Her bedcovers were tossed aside, the blanket and sheets rumpled as if Susan had ripped the covers off to jump off of bed like she used to back in London.

Another wave of homesickness washed over her, and her eyes overflowed again.

She wiped her cheeks and forced herself to think.

They might be in Edmund's room.

There they were, Peter in a chair by the four-poster bed, Susan on his lap.

They were embracing each other and rubbing each other's back in circular motions.

Like Mum used to.

She had been silent up until now, but she resumed her sobbing, partly to get her sibling's attention. Their eyes snapped, not flew open, and Susan was off Peter's lap in a nanosecond.

Peter was a millimeter behind her, having to wait 'til his sister got off of him to get off the chair.

Their arms surrounded her, lifting her so that they placed her on the chair.

They each knelt on the floor right in front of her, each taking a hand.

They looked at her expectantly, if not concerned.

Lucy burst into tears again.

A/N: Sorry so short after no updates in a while, but I've gotta get to bed. I was at my friend's summer house on Fire Island for the weekend, and no computer for me. And sixth grade is starting to heat up. I might just be updating some Sundays. I hate to, but the studies come first, you know that, right?


	9. Ed's Dreams

Edmund Pevensie slept.

It was a blessed sleep, a deep sleep.

Plauged with dreams.

Dreams of Dad being killed by bombs, bullets, shrapnel, you name it.

Mom too.

Even though he'd never admit it, his siblings as well.

And the White Witch, Jadis, tortured him by killing his family in front of his eyes one by one, slowly, forcing Ed to listen to his sibling's and parent's screams of pain and anguish.

That would be bad enough, but he was frozen in place, among the statues.

The worst part was when Peter, the last one to die, lay dead on the ground, and Jadis laughed an evil laugh so awful, Ed was paralyzed even more then he had been.

She pointed her wand at him, and he slowly turned to stone, watching his family die all over again.

He woke, screaming Peter's name.


	10. In The Arms of The Magnificent Brother

Peter's head whipped around, his name being screamed from the bed behind them. Edmund was sitting bolt upright, tears rolling unnoticed down his face, and screaming Peter's name.

The two pairs of eyes belonging to the girls started to fill up with tears, as Peter went and drew Edmund onto his lap. Ed was still screaming their names, but the volume was growing quieter as Peter rocked Edmund as if he was a little child again.

Susan put her other hand on Lucy's and wept at the sight of her older brother comforting the other.

That hadn't happened in years.

She barely remembered the last time it had happened.

Lucy laid her head on Susan's shoulders and watched her older brothers. After a short while, she fell asleep, her head on her sister's shoulder.

To Susan, the weight was pleasant. She barely paid attention to her sister, her mind focusing on Peter, with Edmund almost asleep in his arms.

Peter hardly paid any attention to Ed, the sight of his sisters, with one's sleeping head on the other's shoulder, to sweet to ignore.

He ignored Susan's gaze, which also was part of a slight pleased smile, which Peter read as a smirk.

Finally, Edmund fell asleep, and Peter didn't move.

Susan dared to whisper, "Why don't you put him in bed and leave?"

Peter looked at her and answered, again in a whisper, "When's the next time that Ed will willingly sleep in my arms like this?"

Susan smiled and nodded. "This is more precious to me than my crown, Peter, the care in your face right now, just keep that in mind."

Peter looked back at her and asked, "Is any of it present regularly, Su, or do you not notice it?"

Susan couldn't answer, and just nodded, the way Peter's kingly brown gaze trapped her queenly blue.


	11. What Siblings Know

Peter gently shifted Edmund out of his arms and into his bed. Tucking his brother in, he kissed said sleeping brother on the forehead. If he had been awake, he would never have done that.

Ten-and-a-half year olds never got kissed on the forehead.

Not even by their (over)protective thirteen-year-old brothers.

Now, that just wasn't fair.

Susan almost cried at the look on her elder brother's face, it was so caring.

She felt that if she spoke to him, it would disappear forever.

And yet, it was so commonplace.

The gaze was so loving, so, so, so _brotherly_. Yes, that was the word. Brotherly.

Peter turned around, and faced his sisters, hands on his hips. Susan cracked up at the overly comical look he plastered on his face, meant so that the remnants of the brotherly gaze were hidden.

Susan laughed, even though the face wasn't funny, to let him know that her attention was not wallowing in the look he had in his eyes.

Peter knew his face wasn't funny, and he knew that Susan knew it too.

He also knew that she laughed to make him feel better about the un-High Kingly moment.

But sometimes he couldn't be the High King.

But he could always be the High Brother.

A/N: AH HA! It sneak up on you, didn't it?? The title?? In the last line?? Come on, tell me you noticed it! If you did, or didn't, tell me in your reveiw, and if you don't, reveiw anyway, and you will get... COOKIES! Chocolate chip ones, in fact!! :-) No, you won't. I have no idea where you live, so no cookies. :-( But you get a new chapter!! XD!!


	12. Who Tucks a Queen In?

Susan walked back to her room, with Lucy in Peter's arms. They talked about her, and how they had been ignoring the many changes in her.

When they got to Lucy's room, Susan silently opened the door, and they walked in. The room had a slight chill in it, for the double doors leading to her balcony were open. Her comfy chair was on the balcony with a blanket on it. Peter put Lucy in bed as Susan dragged the chair inside. She closed the doors, and walked over to her sister's bed.

Peter was tucking Lucy in. Susan took the other side of the blanket and helped him. When finished, they each kissed a cheek and blew out the candle.

They walked back to Peter's room, for Susan had to make sure that he got into bed. After he changed into suitable nightwear, he kissed his sister on the head and hugged her.

Susan was wiping her eyes as she walked to her room. She really loved her siblings, just that before they weren't all tender and open, and just so- so, so siblingly. That was the word.

She re-entered her bed. The blankets were soft, and they helped warm her already warm body, full of hear from the feelings she had just experienced. She loved Peter so...


	13. The Girl Next Door

Lucy knew she fell asleep last night watching Peter holding Edmund.

It was summer in Narnia now.

She loved it here.

She slipped out of bed, like a dryad leaving her tree.

It was the same. The blanket felt like a shell around her, the way her siblings obviously tucked her in last night.

She loved them so much.

Lucy was burning to a crisp, now, in the hot Narnian air.

She slipped out of her white silk nightgown and stood naked except for her undergarments in front of a large ornate chest.

She lifted the cover, a fine work of art.

Lucy gasped.

Gorgeous Narnian dresses of every color lay folded in the chest, embrodeiry, jewels, pearls and precious metals adorning said metals.

She turned away from such treasures, to a much smaller chest, a chest twice the size of a standard jewelry box.

This smaller box was a smaller version of the dress chest, except that when she opened it, jewels, pearls and precious metals sparkled in more colors then the rainbow.

Lucy squealed.

She knew she was a queen, and a young one at that, but this was the only time she actually thought about the benefits that came with the rulership.

Lucy decided on a white gown with short sleeves with emroidery on the bodice, and a long flowing skirt. She wore her crown, and a silver and dark ruby necklace.

She combed her hair with the ivory comb with the sapphires set in it and placed her crown over her shining tawny locks. She looked at herself in the mirror, which was set with opals.

All of the riches about her only intensified her beauty, for her beauty was simple, and a little bit of the girl-next-door.

Except for her eyes.

Her eyes, her dark blue orbs, were full of poetry and art, innocence and purity, peace and experiences that said girl next door would never have seen in her life. Her eyes were full of lions that were not tame, fauns, evil wolves, and crowns on her sibling's heads.

_That_ was her bit of uniqeness in her girl-next-door look.


	14. A Gentle Beauty

Susan woke up slowly, almost as if her brain was turned to mush.

Except it wasn't, for she could remember things from ten years ago, when she was towo, for some reason.

Maybe it was the Narnian air?

Which was making her sweat in her sky-blue nightwear.

Susan slipped out of bed and heaved open the dress chest that she had explored yesterday.

The dresses were just as stunning, colorful, and laden with riches as they were yesterday.

A soft light green dress was in the lower right corner, with a fitted torso and a flowing skirt that was revealed once Susan picked it up.

She slipped out of her nightgown and into the dress.

The silk was soft against her warm skin.

It fit snugly around her, revealing her newfound curves.

A comb lay under the large mirror, set with emeralds. The mirror was set with opals, as was Lucy's.

Susan combed her long dark tresses, taming her bedhead with ease. She put the ivory hair tool back on its little shelf under the mirror and turned to her jewel chest.

She picked a leather choker which had an opal pendant that fit in the hollow of her neck.

She looked beautiful.

She put her crown on and headed downstairs.


	15. Narnian Breakfasts

Susan and Lucy looked at each other and suddenly burst into laughter.

Peter, who was walking by in _his_ Narnian clothes, raised his eyebrows.

Which caused the girls to giggle all the more.

* * *

The fruit cooled Edmund's throat, and tasted better than any fruit in England. Ever.

It was a type of melon, he thought, and wasn't stringy, but the fruit itself was firm and not mushy, but soft enough so that you didn't have to chew very hard. The color was blue.

It tasted of spring, and freshwater springs, with violets and bluebells mixed in. But real, truer flowers than any flowers in England.

For the melon was Narnian.

* * *

Lucy bit into an egg, which had a bright yellow color. The texture of the morning food was perfect, just the way she loved it...the way Mum made it...

Susan hugged her crying sister who had a forkful of half-chewed scrambled egg in her mouth...

* * *

Ed took a drink of springwater and wiped his mouth. He really needed to get up. The homodryad that had brought him his breakfeast in bed had left. And he wanted to go greet his siblings.

So he forced himself to get out of bed...


	16. Diamonds in the Light

A/N: I use the movie crowns, FYI!!

Edmund sat down with a sigh.

Susan raised her eyebrows over her goblet.

Ed smiled sheepishly.

"Your crown is off kilter, Ed."

His cheeks flushed with color as he fixed the crown on his ebony hair.

"Su?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry."

The goblet met the table with a loud thunk.

Barely audible, Susan whispered, "For what?"

"Everything."

Tears filled the gentle queen's eyes.

She got up, not saying a word, and went around the table. When she reached Edmund, she enveloped him in a hug.

Suddenly, Ed realized that he wasn't alone, that he could tell his siblings about anything.

Tears filled his eyes and he gripped Susan in a close embrace.

Susan's tears fell on Edmund's head and glistened there, like diamonds in the light.


	17. Group Hug

Peter gently brushed the tears off of Edmund's ebony hair and kissed him on the top of his head. To his surprise, Edmund didn't object.

Susan smiled at him.

Ed broke away from Susan and turned to face Peter. His cheeks were streaked with tears.

"Ed," Peter began.

Edmund put a hand up to stop his brother from talking.

"Don't. Just because I was a traitor doesn't mean it's your fault, Pete. I'm sorry I was such a selfish little prat."

Peter whispered, "Apology accepted."

Edmund put his hand out to shake Peter's, and Peter obliged, then walking away, his back to his younger siblings.

Susan almost burst into tears, for here was Peter last night promising to be better, and all that, and here was he, clearly hurting Ed, apparent from the look on said person's face.

* * *

"WHAT WERE YOU DOING?"

Peter spun around on the spot, now facing Susan.

"Walking, living, breathing, thinking."

"Don't!"

"Fine, so I'll die instead! Is that what you want?"

"No. Just stop hurting Ed, alright?"

Peter's mouth flew open.

"I'm not hurting Ed!"

"Did you see his face when you said 'Apology accepted' and then walked away?"

"Su, did you ever think that it hurts me too? Ed's not the only one his ordeal affected, missy."

"Don't call me that."

"Why?"

"Only Dad's allowed to call me that," Susan whispered.

Tears were collecting at the corner of her eyes.

Peter hugged her and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Ed saw them and ran over.

"Hey, you two, can I come in?"

Not letting go of each other, the two oldest Pevensie children let their younger brother into the hug.

Lucy came by and immediately entered.

There they were, in the middle of a busy Cair Paravel corridor, in a group hug.

It couldn't get much better than this.

A/N: I'm done with this time period. I'm going on a few years, about the time of The Horse and His Boy. TTFN!!


	18. Pardon Me, but Who Are You?

Ages: Peter-21

Susan-20

Edmund-18 1/2

Lucy-17 1/4

Peter's horse was running as fast as he could, to escape from the Calormenes.

The horse stopped short and Peter was thrown to the ground.

"Ow," he said quietly, so his trackers couldn't hear.

Suddenly he heard, "You have a poisonous arrow aimed at your heart. If you move, I will shoot."

Peter muttered, "I surrender."

"You may roll over, but do not try to draw your weapon."

Peter obliged and found himself staring back at a young auburn-headed woman with dark brown eyes, who wore a creamy tunic and brown leggings. She cradled a crossbow in her right arm. An elaborate sword in a matching sheath hung on an adorned leather belt. She was impossibly pretty.

"Sit up."

Peter winced as he straightened himself out, sore from his fall.

"Are you all right?" came an accented voice. Peter moved his head to look around the auburn-haired woman, but saw naught but trees. The auburn beauty sighed, rolled her eyes and stepped aside, revealing a nice little clearing.

There was fire in a ring of stones that was in the middle of the clearing, burning bright. A dark-haired woman sat by the far side, wrapped in an olive green blanket. She obviously was the owner of the accented voice.

"Yes, I'm fine."

The woman's hand crept out from under the blanket and gestured to her side. "Come, and partake of the food of my nation."

Peter looked up at the other woman, who nodded, in a resigned way.

Peter got up and took his gold crown off his golden-haired head surreptitiously and put it under his traveling cloak as he walked to the fire. He saw that the dark-haired woman had the pale skin of the Downhurst Ettinsmoorians and his hand automatically went to Rhindon's hilt.

He felt the tip of a sword on his back.

"Come on Katrelina, where's he going to run? And besides, my name isn't Sharla Celeste of Downhurst Palace for nothing!"

Apparently Katrelina agreed that Sharla made sense, and lowered her sword.

Peter sat down tentatively and reached for a piece of food. It was covered in a sort of gravy and was sprinkled with spices. He put it in his mouth, feeling rather conspicous with both Katrelina and Sharla staring at him.

The food was some sort of vegetable, and the taste was overwhelming. Apparently it had been grilled, for it had that sort of limp feeling all grilled vegetables have.

"What is this?" he asked once he finished the tidbit.

Sharla smiled, pleased. "It is a vegetable native to the coast of my land, grilled, and dipped in a spice covered sauce. I make it from my mother's recipe."

"It's very good."

"I know. Even though I am a lady of stature in my land, I still must know the culinary and literary arts. I can tell a story quite well."

Peter's hand strayed to his sword as he said, "I thought that was the Calormenes."

Katrelina's sword went to his back again.

Sharla's eyes narrowed.

"Th' pigs! They stole it from us! Our culture, ravaged! It is a shame!"

Peter could not help but supress a smile. Sharla's face was comical to one who did not know her very well. It was her battle face.


	19. Calormene Leeches

"Di' spik." Sharla's voice was so heavily accented at this point Peter could barely understand her. Peter's hand went to his sword when he made eye contact with her and saw soldiers reflected in them.

"N'. Gega Kitria. Di' mi 'v allu yir lif." Peter froze. He heard a Calormene voice in his ear.

"That won't do anything. Now, I reckon, barbarian, that since we got your pretty little friend here, you ought to do everything we say."

Suddenly, Peter was flattened to the ground, the Calormene that had been bending over next to him also on the ground, but unconscious. Peter immediately jumped to his feet, and spun around, Rhindon in hand. Sharla was overpowering a fully armored and weaponed man with only her fists and feet, a feat to be proud of. Sensing he was weakening, Sharla kicked her opponent in the groin, and he fell to ground. Peter, grinning, surveyed the scene as a war man would. A whole squadron of fully armed and armoured Calormene soldiers were taking over Katrelina and Sharla's little camp. There was a large wagon at the back of it where one soldier was pinning Katrelina to the floor of it, his mouth over hers.

A fury swept through Peter like nothing before. His face was contorted into a scowl as he ran, for lack of a better word, over to the wagon where said repulsive soldier was trying to rape Katrelina.

Peter's face contorted, he swung Rhindon down across the soldier's neck, killing him insantly. The soldier slid down from the position he had been in, though not completely. His hands were at Katrelina's thighs in a way that suggested that they had been at her breasts seconds earlier.

Katrelina stood up, kicking the soldier off of her feet, while pulling her tunic back over her body. She wiped her mouth then said, "That was... unexpected."

"I do hope you say that in a good way."

"To you, me, or that leech of a Calormene?"

"To you, and..."

Katrelina's eyebrows shot up.

"And me?"

Katrelina shook her head skeptically, her auburn hair getting in Peter's face. It was not in his mind until then how close in proximity they were to each other.

"E lial el ir?" came a yell from Sharla, so accented Katrelina laughed.

"C'in!" the auburn-haired woman yelled back, her voice as accented as her friend's.

Peter's face broke into a smile usually erected by his siblings, and then ran with Katrelina to the skirmish.

**A/N: Please read! I'm sorry I haven't updated in forever, just my bat mitzvah and all....**

**Does anyone besides me smell romance in the air? And siblings teasing each other about it? (Ooh, that sounds fun to write!)  
**


	20. An Exception

**A/N: Hi! Guess what? I didn't fall off the face of the earth! [insert confetti here] Well, here's the stage for this chapter and the next: After Peter's knight in shining armor rescue, he and Katrelina are now in awkward-not-quite-friends-because-they-know-that-they-like-each-other stage. And Peter and Sharla are really good friends. This is about a week after the end of the Horse and His Boy. And he hasn't told the girls he's royalty. So you can imagine...... And they bought the girls' horses at a random town.  
**

**Now, here is what you've all been waiting for, Chapter 20! [more confetti!!]:**

"Yes, Peter, because you really are good friends with the kings and queens of Narnia."

Peter stuck his tongue out at Sharla. Katrelina pursed her lips to hold her smile off of her face. She wasn't doing much of a good job.

"Yes, Shar, you'll see. I'll walk into the throne room and Queen Susan will walk up to me and give me a hug. And then she will probably yell at me."

Katrelina chose this moment to jump in and say, "Oh, and I bet King Edmund will clasp hands with you and draw you into a hug."

Peter nodded. "Yes, he will. Or he'll just smile. It depends what mood he's in."

Katrelina and Sharla both raised their eyebrows at him. They made eye contact and then held it for a few seconds and then broke away laughing. Peter muttered, "Women."

Sharla swatted at him.

They had reached the palace gates by now. Peter gulped. They passed the gates easily, the guard on a round around the grounds. Peter tied the horses to the ringed post against Katrelina's protests.

"I can take care of my horse just as much as the next man!" and "I refuse to let you treat me like a lady!"

At the last comment Peter merely said, "Most women would love to be treated like a lady. You as an exception makes more sense than you can imagine," as he was helping Sharla down from her horse. He then turned to Katrelina and helped her down against her protests, again.

Peter walked up the steps and opened the huge doors, holding them open with a flourish for the women.

Sharla whispered to Katrelina, "Note the way he walks. See how he straightens up automatically? And he walks with an air of royalty. And don't give me that look, Kitty. I would know."

Katrelina scowled. _Of course you would. I only wish I could claim as much._

**A/N: Ha ha! Cliffie! And FYI, italics are thoughts. Review and you will get.....COOKIES!!! Yeah, yeah. It's too bad, isn't it? But you will get a response! That's my policy! Review and you get a response! **


	21. Royals of Narnia

Peter gulped. He walked inside, and Susan, as expected, waited for him to get inside before running to him with a hug. Peter hugged her back, content.

But that could not last for long. After about twenty seconds, Susan pulled away from Peter and started yelling at him.

"Peter Pevensie! What took you so long? You were due back weeks ago! You look fine, don't tell me you were injured! Peter! Answer me!"

Peter pursed his lips. "Calormenes. I had fixed the giants, but a squadron of Rabadash's finest were on my tail and trying to kidnap me. Su, do tell me, I've been wondering for weeks."

Susan nodded. "They were muttering something about a false jade, good lady. Perhaps you could enlighten me?"

Susan's face went pale. "We had to escape Tashbaan."

"Ah," said Peter. "I take it that the refusal did not go over too well, then."

Susan looked past Peter to the door where Katrelina and Sharla were standing. "Not to be rude, brother dear," here Katrelina jumped and Sharla raised her eyebrows, "But who are these women you have picked up on your journey?"

Peter's face fell. He turned to face Katrelina and Sharla, who were glaring at him, arms folded across their chests. He motioned to them to come forward, a sheepish and ashamed look on his face. "This is Katrelina daughter of Vitlati of Narnia and Sharla Celeste of Downhurst Palace from Ettinsmoor."

Susan nodded and called, "Lu! Ed! Peter's back!" The two younger royals came running. Edmund's face was set in a grin as he clasped hands with his brother, then pulled him into a hug. Lucy, however bounded over to him and kissed him on the cheek. A dark-skinned girl of about fourteen leaned against a pillar. There was no expression on her face other than blunt interest at the affectionate displays before her.

Peter's hand itched to go to his sword and the girl noticed that and smiled. Lucy gestured to her. "Peter, this is the Lady Aravis Tarkheena of Archenland. Aravis, this is my brother the High King Peter, Knight of the Lion's order and the rest."

Aravis curtsied in the Calormene fashion, and Peter bent to kiss her hand. Edmund stifled a laugh.

Susan said to Katrelina and Sharla, still glaring at Peter, "Would you like to wash off the dirt of the road?"

Katrelina nodded, curt as always, but Sharla stepped on her toe, hard as she responded, "Yes, your majesty, we would like that very much. It is an honor to meet you." Susan blushed slightly.

"Follow me, you two," ordered Susan in a kind tone as she turned to walk down a hallway. Sharla followed, her black braid swinging as she caught up to the queen, but Katrelina turned to face Peter, who, to her surprise, was looking at her with a blank face.

"You," she said bluntly, "Have a lot to answer for."

"I know," replied he.

Katrelina turned around and walked out of the throne room. Lucy and Aravis soon followed.


	22. Fetal Position Against Strange Walls

**A/N: Here is a bit of Katrelina's back story, feelings, and a little clearing up, and of course a bit of girly stuff. What would you do if you were Susan Pevensie and your brother came home with two gorgeous women??????????? I, personally, feel bad for Katrelina and Sharla! Tee hee!  
**

**I'm twelve, live with it. **

**Um, I know there really weren't any humans in Narnia, but bear with me! If you can't deal, don't read. Not my problem!  
**

**Disclaimer: Isn't CS Lewis dead?**

Once Katrelina was out of earshot from the others, she sat down against the marble wall and started to sob helplessly. Her auburn hair, now down to her waist, was a bitter reminder of her beloved father. When she was crying, merely the quickest glance at it sent a medley of random and possibly connected memories about him into her head.

His bright blue eyes, the way the skin around them crinkled when he smiled, his smile, his weathered and tanned skin, his hair on a windy day, his caring arms, his perfectly melodic voice, the way he lovingly stroked the mane of his old mare Geiji.

She missed him so much.

She never wanted to remember his loyalty or fierceness anymore. That was what she avoided at all costs, but those memories came into her head anyway.

**_Katrelina, her mother Izanai, her father Vitlati, and the infant Jillvu were sitting around the little, square, brown, mahogany table in front of the fireplace. Vitlati was exuberently explaining one of the many evil things Jadis had done lately._**

**_"And then she just turned those innocent little birds into stone for daring to breathe after her mad fit of anger. That was her third dwarf that week! May I mention it was only the day of Kirke?"_**

**_"Vitlati, this is not so different than what she did at the solstice thrice ago, is it really? Except that then she killed seven dwarves, three fauns, two beavers, a badger, four dryads and a fox, while now she killed a dwarf in her company, a wolf in her company, a family of rabbits, and a family of robins. And yet you are more worked up over this than over the solstice incident. I don't understand. Explain to me," said Izanai, dark eyes too calm, hiding her true feelings. _**

**_Vitlati opened his mouth and then closed it. Ten-year-old Katrelina watched her parent's exchange with wide eyes. Again, she was impossibly pretty, but with the innocence of a child still upon her, as it would be for another mere year._**

**_"Izanai, her guard was attacked first at the solstice, and a bite back would be normal."_**

**_"A bite as large as that is all right, as long as she's attacked first?"_**

**_"Ah, you got me there. You're right, as you always are." Katrelina and her mother laughed, and Jillvu looked up at his mama's face, smiling. "Nonetheless, that does not explain why she murders innocent Narnians!"_**

**_The smile now gone from Izanai's face, she said matter-of-factly, "Because she can."_**

**_Vitati sighed, all anger and energy gone now. "Aye, because she can."_**

Katrelina found herself in the fetal position at the end of the memory, sobbing hysterically.

Merely a year later, Jadis had attacked merely ten leagues away from Katrelina's family's residence, and Vitlati had gone to war for his family in a second-long decision. He never came back, but Katrelina had snuck away with ideas of fighting to follow him. She quickly realized that battle was no place for a young girl, and withdrew into the icy woods. From her vantage point there, she had seen her father's death, stabbed through the heart by the minotaur as he tried to kill Jadis. Katrelina had then blindly run back to her house, losing her way back because of the hot tears blinding her vision. When she finally got back, gaunt and thin, a week later, her house and the others in their little settlement were burned to the ground.

She hadn't even said goodbye to her mother.

**A/N: When I said what was going to happen, I meant in the next two or so chapters. I still need to explain the rest of Katrelina's back story.**


	23. Kitty? A Lady? THE WORLD HAS GONE MAD!

**A/N: This story will not focus on the romance of Peter, Edmund, Katrelina and Sharla. It will be mentioned in sort of passing. One day, I will get around to writing it. Maybe after this story is over and I've done some work on Ramandu's Daughter. I still don't know most of the plot!!! Tee hee. **

**Disclaimer: Dead. CS Lewis is dead. No way I'm dead! (If you didn't know that, I'm calling the asylum) (Yes, my friend recommended it.) (DON'T GIVE ME THAT LOOK!!!!!XD) **

The encounter with Sharla had happened a year before their meeting Peter, when Katrelina had roamed into Ettinsmoor and found Sharla in a small village, dressed in a tattered, filthy, green silk dress, crying her eyes out.

_**Using her new Ettinsmoorian accent, "Eh aer i oh, ea?"she had asked.  
**_

_**"Eh, shutta mout. I kne you're not ferm round ere, dunnt I?" **_

_**"Um,... I-, yes, you're right," said Katrelina.**_

_**"And to answer your question, I'm running away from home because my fiancee tried to rape me. I'm actually quite ashamed. He himself is from the next dukedom over from my father's, and he should know that we Ettinsmoorian nobility pride ourselves on our top-notch self-defense skills."**_

_**Katrelina giggled.**_

_**"What?"**_

_**"Sorry, just the way you said that was funny. But you should get out of your country if you're running away. I should know," she tacked on as an afterthought.**_

_**"Willing to add me to your party?"**_

Just like that, their friendship had started. They did not trust each other with names for weeks. Nevertheless, Sharla was Katrelina's best friend. And only friend.

Suddenly, Edmund and Peter were right in front of her, jesting as they walked. They had not noticed her until Edmund was saying, "And what is with K---hello, Katrelina," with a blush on Peter's face. Edmund, ever the smooth, looked like he was trying to keep from laughing.

"Hello, your majesty," Katrelina responded, rising to her feet in one fluid motion and curtseying to Edmund, completely ignoring Peter. A devilish grin came over Edmund's face as he brought up Katrelina's outstretched hand to his lips.

"It is a pleasure to see you again, my lady," said Edmund, linking his arm through Katrelina's as he led her down the hall.

"Hey! Ed! Kitty!" shouted Peter.

"Hey! WAIT UP!"


	24. Children and Fetuses

**A/N: I hate to inflict such a long author's note on you, but I have a ton of info for you. This story will end in the next chapter: the one after this. I am skipping over at least ten years or so, and our romances are done. I will do stories on it, leaving off right after that mean mean cliffie (sorta) I gave you last chapter. And I need title help: I was thinking 'Heart of the Just' for Edmund/Sharla, and 'The Heart of the Ruler' for Peter/Katrelina. If you could review and tell me whatcha think, I'd appreciate it. And if they suck, give me good titles!!!!!XD This is actually the first of a series, but I have a lot of other stories to update first, like Ramandu's Daughter and my Twilight stories. Now, enjoy.**

**A quick reminder: I use the movie crowns.  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't even own all the paperbacks, you honestly think I own the characters????**

Peter smiled. Maertge ran down the hall, pursued by Ovram. Lucy, golden hair, silver crown and all, lent against the wall next to him. She seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, but he didn't care in the slightest.

Hirio, hand in his aunt's, left the room next to Peter's shoulder, and skipped down the hall. Susan blew a kiss to her siblings, and soon the pair was out of sight. Peter turned, and followed by Lucy, entered the chamber, through it's "royalty only" back door.

Sitting on a chair, her feet up on a ottoman, was Sharla, tunic stretched tight over her swollen belly. Edmund held a glass of lemon water in his hand, and the other one was massaging said swollen belly under the tunic. He was kneeling by Sharla's left hand, Lucy and Peter's left.

Sharla chuckled, even though her face was covered with a sheen of sweat. A gasp of pity? sorrow? sympathy? escaped from Lucy's lips and she immediately was at Edmund's side, holding the lemon water to Sharla's lips as Edmund's other hand followed his first to his wife's inmate.

"Eddie, my beloved old boy, you are not the only one in here with your wife," chortled Peter.

"Oh well, Petey, guess I'll just have to put my fantasies of a wild night out of the question for three reasons. Wanna hear what they are?" Edmund tossed back without a thought.

"Not particularly," replied his brother, taking a seat on the sofa opposite Sharla's little party.

"One, Sharla would kill me, Two, her present state, which is why reason one exists," Sharla laughed,"and three, it's the middle of the day!" finished Edmund with sincerity.

Lucy giggled and Sharla did too, hers weaker than her sister-in-law's though.

Katrelina burst through the door, her belly not as swollen as Sharla's due to her three months, rather than eight. Peter's face lit up subconsciously. Her hair was up in a knot for convineince, and she was in loose linen pants and a silk tunic.

"Come on, we're eating outside!" Katrelina declared.

"Kitty!" exclaimed Lucy. "Feeling better?"

"It's lunchtime. It's always gone by now."

"Okay, Peter, give me a hand," Sharla demanded. Peter walked over to her and helped her up, Edmund at her other side. Shara immediately linked her arm with her husband's.

Peter smiled and took Lucy and Kitty's hand and they all left for lunch.


	25. High King Brother Husband Father Peter

Peter looked around. Susan was on his left, Kitty on his right. The mischevious Ovram was seated on his mother's other side, his auburn hair glinting in the sun. Calm and spunky Maertge admiringly watched her aunt eat, then tried to copy it. Susan laughed and tousled the girl's hair.

Edmund faced Peter across the table, sandwiched in-between Lucy and Sharla. Sharla held Hirio's hand firmly in her own, handling her food with a single hand. Lucy chatted animatedly with Maertge.

Peter put his arms around his sister and his wife, a sappy smile hlued to his face. Susan and Kitty looked at him, and smiled.

Susan was silent for the rest of the meal, queitly reflecting. Her brother had gone from scared boy to strong and confident King in just a matter of ten years.

Her brother, High King Brother Husband Father Peter.

And she couldn't love him as anything else.

**A/N: Sucky ending, I know. I might end up rewriting it one of these days, you never know.**

**The First Popular Queen: Sequel!! (And no, I'm not kidding!)**

**Thank you so much to my avid readers/reviewers:**

**kutlessgurl90, for your loving reviews!  
**

**Spangley Pony, for the same! **

**Burnt Tangerine, for that first review that helped me keep on going! (Seriously, this story wouldn't have happened without you)**

**LilyPada94, for your loving reviews!  
**

**and JaCkSoN RaThBoNe Is MiNe, for reading my other stories as well and reviewing them!! **

**Big hugs and plates of cookies to everyone else, because I can't mention everyone! XD**

**Now I'm getting sentimental:**

**Thank you to everyone. This has been a long (and sometimes painful, on my part) journey, and thank you for helping me along. Your words of encouragement helped build this story more than Susan's words of kindness towards Peter, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in chapter 6. I love you guys. And I hope you'll help me give birth to my other story, Ramandu's Daughter. **

**Goodbye. I hope to see you again soon.  
**


End file.
